Mir 10A 3.5/28 vs. Pentacon 3.5/30

[themoleman342]

Hey everyone, I'm new to the forum but have been visiting this site for a very long time. I must say this is one of the best sites concerning mf lenses.

I know there has been some individual discussion concerning the mir and the pentacon but I was wondering how they would compare? I only recently bought the pentacon so I haven't had anytime to do a comparative test. Plus my budget is close to nothing...so I hate throwing around film. The mir has some wonderful characteristics and its a nice piece of engineering. But I figured I'd ask for some initial thoughts concerning the two.

Thanks in advance
I look forward to contributing to discussions in the future.
~Marc
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35mm: zenit B + zenit 122 + praktica FX + praktica LTL3 + sears (ricoh) TLS - chinon 2.8/28mm, mir 10A 3.5/28, pentacon 3.5/30, mir-1 2.8/37, mamiya/sekor + yashinon 1.4/50, simlar 1.5/50 (ltm m39 - macro work), tessar 2.8/50, domiplan 2.8/50, industar 50-2 3.5/50, takumar 2/55, 2 sears 1.4/55, helios 44-2 2/58, hanimex macro zoom 3.5/28-80, Kaleinar 2.8/100mm, tair 11A 2.8/135, jupiter 21m 4/200

Med Format: Ikoflex II - triotar 3.5/75

Large Format: 4x5 Custom Pinhole - Wide Angle 75mm

[themoleman342]

Oh I forgot to add my flickr link:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/10403737@N03/

I know that they are nothing special + they are all scans from a small print so the quality is atrocious but hopefully someone will enjoy. Feel free to comment, actually comment like crazy! Harsh crit is always welcome.

~Marc
_________________
35mm: zenit B + zenit 122 + praktica FX + praktica LTL3 + sears (ricoh) TLS - chinon 2.8/28mm, mir 10A 3.5/28, pentacon 3.5/30, mir-1 2.8/37, mamiya/sekor + yashinon 1.4/50, simlar 1.5/50 (ltm m39 - macro work), tessar 2.8/50, domiplan 2.8/50, industar 50-2 3.5/50, takumar 2/55, 2 sears 1.4/55, helios 44-2 2/58, hanimex macro zoom 3.5/28-80, Kaleinar 2.8/100mm, tair 11A 2.8/135, jupiter 21m 4/200

Med Format: Ikoflex II - triotar 3.5/75

Large Format: 4x5 Custom Pinhole - Wide Angle 75mm

[Attila]

Hey, nice to see you here !

Difficult to answer what is the best between this two lenses I guess they are on same lever they are all good average lenses.

This ancestor lens of Pentacon

http://www.mflenses.com/gallery/v/german/meyer/lydith_30mm/

This is MIR-1 itself.

Both lens cost are almost nothing so you don't loose much if not like them.

http://www.mflenses.com/gallery/v/russian_lens/Mir/mir-1b/

http://www.mflenses.com/gallery/v/russian_lens/Mir/mir-1/
_________________

Olympus E-1,Bessa L,Bessa RF Skopar 10,5cm,Besa I Color Skopar 105mm,Olympus OM2n,Nikon FA,Yashica Eletro 35 GN,
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Carl Zeiss Jena:Flektogon 2.8/20mm,4/25mm,2.4/35,2.8/65mm,4.5/4cm Tessar, 8/500mm Fernobjektiv
Pancolar 1.4/55mm,1.8/50mm,1.8/80mm,Tessar 2.8/50mm,Biotar 2/58mm,1.5/75mm,1.5/7,5cm
Carl Zeiss: Sonnar 2.8/135,2.8/180mm,Tessar 4/135mm
Nikon: 3.5/20mm,2.8/28mm,1.4/35mm,1.4/50mm,1.2/50mm,2/50mm,1.8/105mm,2.5/105mm,4/200mm macro,4.5/300mm
Pentax: Pentax 1.2/50mm,1.8/85mm,4/200mm
Helios: Helios-40 1.5/8,5cm,Helios-44-1 2/58mm,Helios-44-2 2/58mm
Olympus OM: 3.5/18mm,3.5/21mm,1.4/50mm,3.5/55mm macro,2.8/135mm,2/90mm macro,35-70mm,60-250mm
Meyer: 4.5/35mm Primagon,Primoplan 1.9/58mm,1.9/75mm,2.8/100mm,Orestegor 2.8/135mm,4.5/40 Helioplan
Leica: 4/100 Macro Elmar,2.8/90 Elmarit last version
Please visit my shop to support my reviews !
http://www.hqdesign.us/

[poilu]

welcome Marc
very nice photos in your gallery, I like them

[LucisPictor]

Welcome, Marc! You will enjoy it here.

Very nice pics in your Flickr home. Looking forward to see more...
_________________
There are two kinds of people in the world: those who divide the world into two kinds of people, and those who don’t.
"KAPCTEH" | "Karusutenu" | "Carsten" | T-shirt?
Cams in use: EOS 40D, EOS 350D, EOS 50e, EOS 500, Spotmatic SPII, EXA I & 1c, Zenit EM; Oly 35RC,Minolta Hi-Matic E & F, Ricoh 500RF, Yashica Electro 35 GS, FED-3b and some others...
Lenses in use: Asahi Pentax: 2.8/28;3.5/35;1.4/50;1.7/50;2.8/105;3.5/135;28-80 | Canon (AF):1.8/50;17-85;75-300 | Former GDR: CZJ Flek 4/20; Pentacon 3.5/30; Pentaflex 1.8/50; CZJ 2.8/50; CZJ 4/135; Pentacon 4/200 | Fujinon: 43-75 on sale! | Hanimex: 3.5/23 on sale!; 4/100;80-200 | Hoya: 25-42;80-205 | Leica: Elmarit-R 2.8/35; Summicron 2.0/50 | Mamiya: 1.8/55 | Minolta: 1.7/50 | Nikkor: 2.8/24;2/35;2/50;1.2/55;1.8/85;3.5/135 | West German: Zeiss 2.8/50; Ludwig 2.9/50; Meyer 2.8/100; Will 4.5/105;Schneider 3.5/135;Enna 3.5/135; Zeiss 4/135;Isco 4/135; Enna 4.5/240 | Olympus: 3.5/28;1.4/50;3.5/135 | Rikenon: 1.7/50 on sale!;35-70 | Rollei/Voigtländer: 1.4/55;1.8/50 | Russian: Peleng3.5/8; Zenitar2.8/16; MIR2.8/37; Volna2.8/50; Industar2.8/50; Industar3.5/50; Industar3.5/5cm; Helios2/50; Helios2/58; MIR38 3.5/65; Volna2.8/80; Jupiter2/85; Kaleinar2.8/100;Tair2.8/133; Jupiter3.5/135; Jupiter4/135;Telear3.5/200;Jupiter4/200; Tair4.5/300;RF: Jupiter2.8/35;Industar2.8/53 | Sigma: 28-85;28-105(AF);17-70(AF) | Soligor: 28-105;35-200;70-220 | Tamron: 2.5/24;2.5/135;60-300;70-210 | Tokina: 28-105;80-200;12-24(AF);70-210(AF) | Vivitar: 3.5/17;2/24 on sale!;2/28;2.5/28;2.8/28 | Yashica: 2/5cm | Other Japanese: Cosina3.8/20; Albinar2.8/28; Porst1.8/35; Beroflex 8/500; Spiratone28-200; Maginon70-210
Green are the lenses I shoot the most.
More? http://forum.mflenses.com/viewtopic.php?t=65

[patrickh]

Welcome Marc - I assume you will join Attila in translating the Cyrillic for us? Enjoyed your portfolio very much, you clearly enjoy taking pictures. You will find a bunch of knowledgeable people here especially when it comes to russian and german lenses (I pick their brains unmercifully). We look forward to hearing more from you - as an older person I for one like to hear what the new generation has to say.



patrickh
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DSLR: Nikon D70 Nikon D200 Canon 40D
MF Zooms: Kiron 28-85/3.5, 28-105/3.2, 75-150/3.5, Nikkor 50-135/3.5 AIS // MF Primes: Nikkor 20/4 AI, 24/2 AI, 28/2 AI, 28/2.8 AIS, 28/3.5 AI, 35/1.4 AIS, 35/2 AIS, 35/2.8 PC, 45/2.8 P, 50/1.4 AIS, 50/1.8 AIS, 50/2 AI, 55/2.8 AIS micro, 55/3.5 AI micro, 85/2 AI, 100/2,8 E, 105/1,8 AIS, 105/2,5 AIS, 135/2 AIS, 135/2.8 AIS, Nikkor 200/4 AI, 200/4 AIS micro, 3004.5 AI, 300/4.5 AI ED, Kiron 28/2 Panagor 135/2.8, Tamron 28/2.5, Tamron 90/2.5 macro, Vivitar 90/2.5 macro (Tokina) Voigtlander 90/3.5 Vivitar 105/2.5 macro (Kiron) Kaleinar 100/2.8 AI Tamron 135/2.5, Vivitar 135/2.8CF, 200/3.5, Tokina 400/5,6
M42: Vivitar 28/2.5, Flektogon 35/2.4, Takumar 35/3.5, Curtagon 35/4, Arsat 50/1.4, Volna-6 50/2.8 macro,Mamiya 50/1.4, CZJ Pancolar 50/1,8, Oreston 50/1.8, Industar 50/3.5, Sears 55/1.4, Helios 58/2, Jupiter 85/2, Helios 85/1.5, Jupiter 135/4, Jupiter 135/3.5, Takumar 135/3.5, Tair 135/2.8, Takumar 150/4, Jupiter 200/4
Exakta: Topcon 100/2.8, 35/2.8
C/Y: Yashica 28/2.8, 50/1.7, 135/2.8
P6 : Mir 38 65/3.5, Biometar 80/2.8, Kaleinar 150/2.8, Sonnar 180/2.8

[themoleman342]

I thank everyone for the warm welcome. I know quite a bit of Russian and am very willing to doing some translating work...though more obscure optical terms may be a little beyond me at this point. But I'm looking forward to the challenge.

I will surely add more photos in the future...in fact I'm a little embarrassed at the work that I have scanned since it really gives no justice to the actual negative/print. Without a legitimate negative scanner, it’s quite hard to achieve anything spectacular.

Anyways hopefully I can be a helpful addition to the group. As Patrick mentioned I am of the "new generation." Every piece of camera equipment that I own is older than I am. It’s possible I could offer a different perspective, not necessarily anything of value, just different than all of you seasoned veterans of mf photography. Haha

Thanks again
~Marc
_________________
35mm: zenit B + zenit 122 + praktica FX + praktica LTL3 + sears (ricoh) TLS - chinon 2.8/28mm, mir 10A 3.5/28, pentacon 3.5/30, mir-1 2.8/37, mamiya/sekor + yashinon 1.4/50, simlar 1.5/50 (ltm m39 - macro work), tessar 2.8/50, domiplan 2.8/50, industar 50-2 3.5/50, takumar 2/55, 2 sears 1.4/55, helios 44-2 2/58, hanimex macro zoom 3.5/28-80, Kaleinar 2.8/100mm, tair 11A 2.8/135, jupiter 21m 4/200

Med Format: Ikoflex II - triotar 3.5/75

Large Format: 4x5 Custom Pinhole - Wide Angle 75mm

[Attila]

_________________

Olympus E-1,Bessa L,Bessa RF Skopar 10,5cm,Besa I Color Skopar 105mm,Olympus OM2n,Nikon FA,Yashica Eletro 35 GN,
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Carl Zeiss Jena:Flektogon 2.8/20mm,4/25mm,2.4/35,2.8/65mm,4.5/4cm Tessar, 8/500mm Fernobjektiv
Pancolar 1.4/55mm,1.8/50mm,1.8/80mm,Tessar 2.8/50mm,Biotar 2/58mm,1.5/75mm,1.5/7,5cm
Carl Zeiss: Sonnar 2.8/135,2.8/180mm,Tessar 4/135mm
Nikon: 3.5/20mm,2.8/28mm,1.4/35mm,1.4/50mm,1.2/50mm,2/50mm,1.8/105mm,2.5/105mm,4/200mm macro,4.5/300mm
Pentax: Pentax 1.2/50mm,1.8/85mm,4/200mm
Helios: Helios-40 1.5/8,5cm,Helios-44-1 2/58mm,Helios-44-2 2/58mm
Olympus OM: 3.5/18mm,3.5/21mm,1.4/50mm,3.5/55mm macro,2.8/135mm,2/90mm macro,35-70mm,60-250mm
Meyer: 4.5/35mm Primagon,Primoplan 1.9/58mm,1.9/75mm,2.8/100mm,Orestegor 2.8/135mm,4.5/40 Helioplan
Leica: 4/100 Macro Elmar,2.8/90 Elmarit last version
Please visit my shop to support my reviews !
http://www.hqdesign.us/

[Orio]

OK if I understand correctly Marc asks for a comparison between the Pentacon 29mm and the MIR-10A 28mm, not the MIR-1.

I have both lenses. The comparison is not easy.

Overall, I prefer the MIR-10A, because of the "Russian lens feel".
But the Pentacon also has some good points.

I will start from the speed, the Pentacon is half stop faster, this does not mean much (or at all) photography-wise, but can be important for achieving better focusing, especially if you are using the lens on a digital reflex with less-than-ideal viewfinder.

As for wide open performance, the MIR-10A wins easily. Wide open, it vignettes a bit, but it offers overall an acceptable performance, while the Pentacon lens is super soft, to the point of being flarish. In fact, it looks like it has a soft focus filter on, when used wide open. This could also be used as a special feature in fact! But for normal use is not desireable

As for stopped down performance, I would say that the Pentacon is sharper when it comes to f/8. But the MIR-10A is not bad either, and has a more constant performance throughout the different apertures.

As for colours, the MIR-10A renders more saturation, while the Pentacon has more natural colours and possibly a bit more contrast when stopped down.

In conclusion, it's not easy to pick a winner, perhaps you should get the one that comes cheaper. I would say mostly keep in mind that the Pentacon is half stop faster but has worse image quality wide open, so if you like fast aperture for better focusing, it's ok, but if you plan to shoot wide open in low light, the advantage of the Pentacon does not exist, on the contrary, the slower MIR-10A is more useful because it is useable wide open (if you can live with some vignetting).

-
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ХОРИОС-61 ( ώρεος ) : Lens sana in corpore sano
www.timelessphotography.eu
www.oriofoto.net

Read list of equipment HERE

[themoleman342]

Wow thanks alot! I did notice that you reviewed the pentacon 29mm rather than the 30mm, which I believe it replaced.

In this case the pentacon 30mm and the mir 10A have the same aperture (f3.5), so the half-step difference wouldn't apply.

How does the performance between the pentacon 30mm and 29mm compare? Can I expect the same type of results from the 30 as your 29?

Thanks again
~Marc
_________________
35mm: zenit B + zenit 122 + praktica FX + praktica LTL3 + sears (ricoh) TLS - chinon 2.8/28mm, mir 10A 3.5/28, pentacon 3.5/30, mir-1 2.8/37, mamiya/sekor + yashinon 1.4/50, simlar 1.5/50 (ltm m39 - macro work), tessar 2.8/50, domiplan 2.8/50, industar 50-2 3.5/50, takumar 2/55, 2 sears 1.4/55, helios 44-2 2/58, hanimex macro zoom 3.5/28-80, Kaleinar 2.8/100mm, tair 11A 2.8/135, jupiter 21m 4/200

Med Format: Ikoflex II - triotar 3.5/75

Large Format: 4x5 Custom Pinhole - Wide Angle 75mm

[Orio]